Student Voice is an award-winning initiative to fight Gen Y under-employment by giving students and recent grads across Canada a platform to share your job hunting experiences, as well as your recommendations for employers.

#29: Brandon Greer: New grads offer employers a fresh perspective

“Even if a student doesn’t commit to work with an organization after their education, they often have fresh perspectives and ideas to offer, a surprisingly strong work ethic and a great deal of enthusiasm.”

—Brandon Greer, Business Administration, Acadia University

As a first-year university student, it’s tough to find jobs – especially ones relevant to your field of study.

The summer after first year, I spent over a month going from business to business, online and in person, dropping off resumés and making return trips to try to sell myself.

I thought I could return to my construction job from the past two summers, but there weren’t even any positions available there!

No matter how qualified you are, in today’s economic climate, it can be almost impossible to find a summer job.

Where I am now

Last summer, I ended up volunteering with my mother’s company just for something to do.

After a month or so, the company lost a recent university graduate and I took over many of his responsibilities as well as some new marketing challenges. By the end of the summer, I was offered a real job for the next summer!

Despite that, I didn’t make much money that summer and had to work as a teaching assistant in second year.

I joined my school’s co-op work program and hope to find a quality job in business, preferably in either finance or marketing. As of March, I still have yet to secure summer employment, but I am optimistic.

My recommendation for employers

University students may not have significant experience, but they need some way to gain that experience before they are finished school. After all, this is the next generation that will enter the workforce. Even if a student doesn’t commit to working with an organization after their education, they often have fresh perspectives and ideas to offer, a surprisingly strong work ethic and a great deal of enthusiasm.

Invest in the future workforce, you would be surprised not just by how much it benefits them, but also by how a couple of fresh faces can benefit you in both the short term and the long term.

What is Student Voice?

Student Voice is an award-winning initiative to fight Gen Y under-employment by giving students and recent grads across Canada a platform to share your job hunting experiences, as well as your recommendations for employers.

With your help, we are going to improve the way employers and students connect, and make the school-to-work transition easier.

Student Voice appears in Metro newspapers across Canada every Wednesday.

About TalentEgg

TalentEgg is Canada's most popular job board and online career resource for students and new graduates. TalentEgg helps students and new grads make a successful transition from school to work by finding meaningful student jobs, entry level jobs, summer jobs and internships, and co-op job opportunities. Check out our Featured Employers, browse by new grad job or student job type or read through our original resources for students and new graduates in The Incubator.